Like many Americans on Oscar night, I’m looking to partake of some Hollywood glamour: I’ll be at an upscale bar sipping Champagne as the stars line the red carpet and the winners are announced. But in Hong Kong, where I live and work, it will be Monday morning.

Hong Kong kung-fu movies have taken a real beating in recent years. Moviegoers turned away from them in droves, China’s film industry took over, and the noticeable lack of fresh, young martial-arts stars has been evident.